Greetings Sandy & Juanita, Who were your GGG grandpa's ?? I have multiple lines that migrated from the east to the west, some were in Indiana for atime, others Ohio, KY, Illinois, etc. before arriving in Lucas Co., IA. Yes, What was the big attraction? Were some Friends? [Quakers] escaping discrimination? Were they fearing the outbreak of the Civil War, seeking asylum from the strife? One good example or profile of westward movement to Lucas Co., is my Threlkeld m. Weakley line. Both were born in Virginia and married in 1800 at Shelby Co., Kentucky. They migrated westward to Indiana where Moses Threlked, 1777-1845 died at Cortland, Jackson County, Indiana., Later his wife, Elizabeth Weakley, 1781-1874 migrated westward from Indiana down to Lucas Co., Iowa arriving in 1852 with some of her children. By the 1870 Census of Lucas Co., IA, p. 73 [by gen. society], she was 89 years old, b. VA, and living with her son, Stephen W. & Susannah [Holeman, b. Indiana] Threlkeld. at dwelling # 439, Chariton Twp., Lucas Co., IA. Stephen's first wife, Martha James, d. sometime prior to 1844 when he m. Susannah and had c. 6 children, some of which were at Warren Co., Illinois. As mentioned Susannah was b Indiana. So, the family is plodding along westward. Stephen's older brother, Washington, 1802-1856, married Lucinda Shaure, 1803-?. Both of these were b. Shelby Co, KY, m. in 1835 in Indiana, and d. in Lucas Co., IA. Many of the Threlkeld's that migrated from VA, KY, Indiana, to Illinois are buried at Ragtown Cemetery, near Russell, Lucas Co., Iowa. Elizabeth Weakley Threlkeld first lived in Chariton Twp., upon her 1852 arrival to Lucas Co., IA with some of her children. Her son Noan D., 1820-1882; daughter, Sarah, 1822-1917 and son Moses Burgess, 1827-1872 were all born at Jackson Co or Wayne Co., Indiana. Moses B. was buried at Greenbush, Warren Co., Illinois. Sarah, b. 1822 m. John Davis, b. 1809, Guildford Co., North Carolina d. 1886, Lucas Co., IA. [John was son of Leah Smith & William Davis of Rowan/Davidson Co., or Guilford Co., NC] John and siblings [e.g. Joseph, Smith Davis] migrated to Bartholomew Co., Ind. before John continued on via wagon train to Lucas Co., Iowa. An insightful article from p. 496, Lucas Co. History, 1978 BOOZELL Family: "Gideon Michael Boozell was born near Princeton, Missouri. At the age of two his parents returned to Lucas County, Iowa. His grandparents had come by covered wagon from Illinois and his great grandparents from Pennsylvania. Gideon married Zora ... and had " five children , as listed herein. "...Zora was the daughter of Harriet Ann Davis Miller, and the granddaughter of Austin Davis. Our family history has it that John Davis migrated from Guilford Co., NC to INdiana in 1831. In May of 1845, John Davis again joined an emigrant train, this time settling in Warren County, Illinois near Roseville. In 1856 a wagon train left Roseville, Illinois headed for Lucas Co. Iowa. Wide wagons were purchased for the trip which were pulled by four yoke oxen. There is no written record of the organization of the party, but by common consent D. H. Rowland and John Davis, both of whom were experienced in wagon trains, must have been given leadership. It took a week to travel to the Mississippi River. There they waited until the ice was froze solid to cross. Then the wagons were loaded so the weight would be distributed evenly, and one by one each crossed the river safely. Next they replenished their supplies, made necessary repairs and planned the next section of their journey. Afer a long hard journey, they reached the Des Moines River near Eddyville. Eddyville was to be the nearest marketplace and station for receiving and sending mail. As they traveled they discovered log cabins of earlier pioneers. They were soon to the Western border of Monroe County, then on into Lucas County which was to be their new home. Here John Davis built his cabin with the help of friends. In a short time Austin, son of John Davis, built a cabin. Austin was the grandfather of Zora Miller Boozell. He returned to Roseville where he married Malinda Holeman on Jan. 6, 1861. He returned with his bride to establish his home in Lucas County, Iowa. This community was known as Ragtown. John Davis gave the land for the Ragtown School, also known as Bethel School District No. 3, February 27, 1861. He also gave the land for the Ragtown Cemetery in January 9, 1867. John Davis born in 1809 and died July 15, 1886 and is buried at Ragtown Cemetery." [Adrienne Pilz research indicated that John Davis was a Baptist.] In an email from David Niswender, Feb 7, 2003: "... Now as to whom the Threkeld's belong to, Noble Douglass' brother Martin and his wife Melinda Whedon. Had 3 known children so far. Mariah Douglass who married Strother Threkeld on 12/06/1839 in Jackson Co., Indiana, and Marcella ( Merschelia ) "This name is shown spelled a diffrent way each time" Marcella married Noah Threkeld. She was born 09/28/1923 in Indiana. Her grand parents are, Cyrus ( senior ) Douglass and Lydia Scott. Mariah Douglass-Threkeld's husband died early. She then married Jacob Wheeler 03/19/1844 in Jackson Co., Indiana. She had 2 known children with Strother and 8 known children with Jacob."